Figuring Finch
by clarinetgirl2427
Summary: Finch is a puzzle that Carter is determined to make sense of. Not that he's putting up much of a fight, at least not like he does with Reese.


**Author's Note: **I'm not big on Carter/Finch (I much prefer Carter/Fusco), but I decided to give it a try at least once. This follows a already established relationship and domestic Finch because that is something I want. Not sure how good it is because this is my first try at this pairing. I don't own Person of Interest, obviously. Please enjoy.

-Clarinetgirl

P.S. I will be updating my other POI stories soon. Things have been a little crazy lately.

•••

Carter's phone on her desk chimes out a familiar little tune. Him again. "Right on time," Lionel comments as her checks his watch. She rolls her eyes and ignores both him and the phone. "You better answer that before he sends Wonderboy down to check on you." He is rewarded with a glare and a pen thrown at his head.

As her phone silences, she returns to her work on her computer when all of a sudden it freezes and then her window closes before the computer begins to shutdown. It doesn't crash or randomly just go black, it's like she had clicked the shutdown button. As the reason why dawn on her, her phone rings again.

She angrily answers the phone. "What have I told you about hacking my computer!" Fusco starts laughing so hard that he turns blue, but she's blocking him out at the moment.

"I didn't." Tense pause as he feels her anger growing, "I swear! It was John."

She hears the other man softly chuckle and can barely make out him saying something like, "I told you it would get her attention." She can feel Harold's glare at John through the phone, and she really doesn't want to know his plan for revenge. Through she knows it will be priceless. She hangs up because she's too busy to deal with this right now.

She holds up her hand to Fusco and declares, "Not a word."

It's been a week since the incident with Stanton, and she has yet to manage to be rid of one very fussy Mister Finch. He's always waiting when she gets home, and when she's at work, he calls or texts her almost hourly. She doesn't mind much, understanding he's still a bit shell-shocked from everything that has happened recently, but she could do without the teasing from Fusco.

When she enters her apartment later that evening, he's of course there, in the kitchen preparing dinner and helping Taylor with homework. He must have picked him up from school again. Taylor hasn't talked to her much about when his friends think of the mysterious Mister Finch, but she knows he is grateful not to take the subway. Mostly because Harold's car is more comfortable.

Taylor has gotten used to the man being around constantly and appreciates the assistance with homework. His grades have risen exceptionally the past couple months. He hugs her and then excuses himself to his room to give the adults a little privacy. Joss walks up behind Harold and the shove and wraps her arms around him. Harold's suit jacket rests discarded on the back of one of the dinner chairs. He's not wearing a waistcoat today, and his tie has vanished, probably in his coat pocket. "Something smells good."

"It's just spaghetti, nothing special." He turns to kiss her head on his shoulder, a task that is difficult and painful for him. She really wishes he wouldn't do that. "It'll be ready soon."

She takes Taylor's deserted chair at the table and observes Mister Finch work. The pieces seem mismatched in her mind. The outward package doesn't fit the man she thinks is inside. He enjoys fine things but willing risks his life for others. Obviously a broken, haunted man hiding from his past, but he apparently still holds faith in the world. He doesn't play with the word love like some but shows it in the things he does. It was as important to him as to her that Taylor accept him, but he didn't go out of his way to bond with him. He let it happen naturally.

She will admit she loves questioning him with Taylor as they sit at dinner like a family. Some of his sidesteps are even more telling than his answers, and she's learned that her kid would make one hell of an interrogator. In a way, Harold has brought her and her son even closer together, which is a feat because they had already been extremely close.

He finally turns to her and tells her dinner is finished. She smiles, dying to try his spaghetti. They always eat better when he's around. It still bothers her that he's a better cook than her, and Taylor won't let her forget it.

As they set the table for dinner, his phone goes off. A text, from John she's sure. He types out his response and grabs his coat. "Give my apologies to Taylor."

She walks him to the door. "He understands." He leans in for a goodbye kiss. "You're a good man Harold. Be careful."

"Thank you Joss." Then he disappears through the door, off to somewhere. She doubts even God knows where exactly, but she prays he can keep an eye on slippery Mister Finch.


End file.
